Voltaic shoe.



No. 675,292. Patented May 28, 190|. E. E. PHINNEY. voLTAlc snol-z.

(Application led Nov. 3, 1900.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

ELMER E. PHINNEY, OF NIANTIC, CONNECTICUT.

VOLTAIC SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 675,292, dated May 28, 1901 Application led November 3, 1900. Serial No. 35,359. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMEE E. PHINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niantic, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voltaic Shoes, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex'act description.

This invention has for its object the production of a shoe having an electric inner sole in which special provision is made for a more effective circulation of the electric current through the foot than has been possible in the devices used heretofore, so far as I am familiar with them, and I have also so arranged the voltaic batteries that the counter of the sole is left flexible. Heretofore it has been most common in this class of devices to provide a single voltaic pile, located in the sole and adapted to be engaged by the foot, galvanic action in a very limited degree being generated by the engagement of the warm moist foot with the said pile. In contradistinction to such an arrangement I provide two or more independent voltaic piles that are connected bya flexible wire in such manner that the foot of the wearer ofthe shoe completes a circuit and Vcauses the electric current to pass through the foot from heel to toes.

To explain my invention more clearly, I

, have provided the annexedsheet of drawings,

in which- Figure l is a side elevation ot a shoeprovided with a sole embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top or plan View of said sole, a portion of its felt covering being cut away to expose the voltaic batteries; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central sectional view of said sole.

Referring to the drawings, a denotes a shoe, b the inner sole as a whole, and c the outer sole. The inner sole (in which the batteries are located) is formed of three superimposed layers-to wit, a bottom layer h of leather, a top layer b2 of felt or the like material, and an intermediate layer b3 of leather.

Each voltaic pile or battery is composed of a sheet of copper d and of zinc d', one of said piles being located where the ball of the foot rests and another in the heel portion of the sole, and the said piles are secured in their operative positions by rivets e, that bind the piles and the layers of leather b' b3 securely together, as is best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The copper and zinc plates are mounted in the leather b3 in a peculiar manner in order that the rough ends of said plates shall be kept from contact with the felt and also to prevent the accidental displacement of the plates if the rivets become loosened. The leather h3 is slitted transversely, as at b4, near the points where the 'plate ends are to be located, and the plates are then inserted in the said slits, and it will be understood that when thus tucked into the slits and confined between the felt and leather layers there is very little danger of the plates working loose; but in order to be doubly certain I prefer to provide the rivets, as above described.

The two voltaic batteries are connected by a flexible wiref, that lies, preferably, between the two leather layers b b3. The felt is perforated, as at h, so that an effective contact of the foot with the batteries may be obtained.

When my described shoe is being worn, the ball and heel of the footvcontact with the described voltaic batteries and chemical action immediately takes place, inducing a mild current of electricity, that has to pass through the foot from the heel to the ball of the same in order to provide and maintain a complete circuit, the result being more effective and satisfactory than when a single battery only is provided.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- In combination, a sole consisting of superimposed layers of leather and felt, transverse slits in said leather as set forth, voltaic batteries consisting of metallic plates whose opposite ends are inserted in said slits, and a exible metallic connection between the said batteries.

Signed at New London, Connecticut, this 22d. day of October, 1900.

ELMER E. PHINNEY.

Vitnesses:

H. D. BARRows, HENRY D. STANTON. 

